Where Is The Best Place To Live In Panama?
Oct 19th, 2007 by Don Ray
I try not to read the Yahoo Groups too often, because, to be honest, when I do I just get depressed. I remember when I was first thinking of moving to Panama and I found the Yahoo groups. This was almost five years ago and at that time I believe they were more helpful.
I think you can still find some information on these groups, however when it comes to information that will assist you in deciding if one area or another is better for you, I think it is questionable. The only real way to know, if one area or another will satisfy you, is to try it out.
If you ask the generic question, “Where is the best place to live in Panama?” on one of the Yahoo groups, the answers you get usually reflect where the individual replying lives. If he/she lives in Panama City, then most likely you will get all the reasons that would say that PC is the best. You will find similar arguments related to Altos Del Maria, Boquete, Volcan, etc, etc.
Any place is right for you in Panama, if it is right for you. What I think you have to be careful of is believing all that you read about anyplace, when the information comes from a person, magazine, or other source that has a financial motivation in promoting that area.
Sometimes the financial motivation is hidden. The individual has invested in the area that he/she promotes that area because he/she would like to see others move to that area and drive up the market value.
Sometimes the individual is not financially motivated, but it is like having a favorite football team. The individual wants his/her team to win and all other teams are dogs. For some reason, convincing others that one is living in the best place is competitive.
I think there is plenty to love about Panama. However, if you are coming from another part of the world, they you most likely will have some adjusting to do. for you to enjoy it here. Don’t expect Panama to change. Don’t think you are going to be a rescuer and come here and show the locals how to improve their lives. Most living adjustments will be done by you and not by the Panamanians.
So where is the best place to live in Panama? Where you, as an individual, can get up in the morning and feel happy you decided to move there. That answer will be different for different people, because we all have our “gotta haves”. I found my place, and it wasn’t where I thought it would be when I moved here.
Good Morning Don Ray:
I agree 100% with your advice. My husband and I first moved to Latin America in 1993. Since that time we’ve seen so many people make the mistake of buying in an area that they then realize is not right for them. We have always told people who are thinking of retiring here, whether it be Costa Rica or Panama, to rent in an area for 6 months before deciding to build. I can’t tell you the unhappiness that some people would have saved themselves if they had just rented first. A two week, fun filled vacation just doesn’t give you the feel for an area. And for some people, Latin America is just not going to be a good fit. It’s better to find that out in the beginning.
Hi Kathy. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I guess my personal gripe is people, who bad mouth an area, that don’t live there. One of the reasons I hadn’t considered David, before I did, was that I was told that I would have to use the AC all the time, it was the hottest area in Panama, much hotter than Panama City, etc.
I think all of out internal thermometers must be a little different and sometimes the measured temperature, doesn’t reflect how we feel. I have visited and stayed in Panama City many times since 1993. For me, I am much more comfortable in David. Maybe it is the particular areas of PC that I stay in. Maybe it is because those areas have more concrete and less air flow. Maybe it is because of the area I live in in David. For what ever reason, David suits me better than Panama City.
I see people from one area bad mouth the areas where they don’t live. It would be more constructive if they would list the reasons they enjoy living where they live, rather than trying to tear down another area.
For me, David is extremely pleasant for 9 months out of the year, The mornings and evenings are fresh and cool. If you are out in the sun a lot, then some days (not everyday and not all day long) can get pretty warm. This is during the rainy season.
During the dry season, it still cools off in the evenings, just not as much as in in the rainy season. During the dry season, it gets hotter and dryer. It still can’t compare with Dallas in Mid July. Even then, I am usually comfortable inside if I have good fan support. A little air movement does wonders.
I have found that my allergies have improved enormously from when I was living in Dallas. Both the AC in the summer and the heater in the winter, kept my sinuses dried out.
The point I was trying to make was that people need to decide where to live based on their likes and dislikes and not be swayed by criticism doled out by others about areas they don’t live in.
AMEN! Most of my adult life the “where” was stated in a teletype. Seems to me that retirement offers us the opportunity to figure out the where and there is no place that is “where” for all of us. All places are trade offs. My wife and I bought land in Santa Clara-Rio Sereno area. But its not for everybody. In fact, the isolation would drive some people crazy. But its near (and far) enough from my wife’s family, has good roads and makes David a treat to visit.
I enjoy your blog…keep up the good work.
Mike
Hi Mike.
Thanks for dropping in and adding you two cents. I appreciate it.
You’re right on the mark Don. Most of the people that I have met or heard about, that did not like Panama, after moving there, were people who did not do their due diligence on the country. One of the things that I like about Panama, is the wide diversity of the country in a small space. And you’re also right about the Yahoo groups. I used to glean a fair amount of information and also a few laughs from them but now I often find myself shaking my head in amazement at some of comments. Have a great week end.
Hi Ron. Thanks for dropping in and sharing your comment.
Buenos Dias. The only way to get a “true” impression, is to be in that spot for a while yourself. My wife and I are moving to Chiriqui in another month, and we’ll be living in San Pablo just outside David. We spent two months in David, with her family, and I loved the place and the people. I was thinking of building in a higher [cooler] part of Chiriqui, but fell in love with David “the wild west city with one traffic light”. I had already been to Panama, as a guest of Uncle Sam in ‘64 & ‘65. The only changes I noticed was the rainy season is not so predictable now as it was then. The people are real friendly, and if you know a bit of Spanish, they’ll try and help you out if they can. I’m learning more so I can blend in with people. I even was adopted by two young family members as their grandpa. There will be more when I return! We found this the best place as it had the most to offer us. We’re close to the city, my wife’s family, 10 minutes from the ocean and deep sea fishing etc., and 30 minutes from the mountains and dormant Volcano Baru. This is perfect for us, but maybe not for others. I will enjoy getting into the “r-e-l-a-x-e-d pace” of the people. I think I’m more Panamanian the my wife, who is in a rush all the time, after being in the states for over 40 years now. I’ve been researching things on the web sites [gringo and Panamanian] for a good 9 months now and have seen both sides of the story about living there. You have to weed through the sites and the people to get the real facts. It doesn’t take too much to be prepared, as long as you know the place, the life style, the drawbacks, etc., before you can make the correct decision.
Hi Doug. Thanks for taking the time to comment. You have said it well. I appreciate your taking the time to drop in and leave a piece of your experiences for others to read.